Parts is parts

[elora_c]

Last week's saga continues. The new video card arrived, and I installed it in my computer. I just did some web browsing and mail stuff, but the fan spun the entire time, and the machine was fairly hot which didn't seem right. The next day I determined that my power supply might not be sufficient for the current hardware. According to rough

Comments

[laddical]

Mmmm... AlienWare. My wife has promised me that if her massage therapy takes off the way we hope, the first thing we'll do after we pay off all our credit card debt is buy an Alien with cash.

[fish_tie]

Actually, with my hardware trouble, Windows crashed because the bits that it tried to boot up were not the bits that it booted up last time.

Reinstalling Windows solved the problem. Since you have a Dell OEM version, it could be tricky, but I would give it a shot and see. If it doesn't work, I would suggest getting a new copy. XP is pretty cheap these days since it is on its way out.

[elora_c]

I did think about that. However, once you add the cost of XP in, then my built system costs almost as much as a new Alienware or Dell. So I'm talking myself into that. The fact that Alienware will take my old Dell in as trade and actually give me money for it (Dell will just graciously recycle it for free for me), makes that nicer. :)

So, I'm talking myself into sending the built one back and getting either an Alienware or the Dell. Which will lead to the very difficult decision of, which Alien chassis and lighting colors?? Decisions, decisions.

[shiny_bauble]

Well, you got your system to POST, which is better than I did my first time.

Building your own comp is somewhat of a tricky prospect. You're trading off getting much higher quality parts for the "privilege" of supporting it yourself. I always liked knowing exactly what I had though.

Best of luck with whatever choice you take. If you're really stuck, you can always call and I'll commiserate. Saying I'd could give some help would likely be lying. :)